The South African Communist Party (SACP) has buttressed the struggle for a reconfigured alliance as its strategy for the 2024 national and provincial elections. This is one of the outcomes of the SACP following its last plenary for the year held over the weekend.
The highest decision-making body of the South African Communist Party (SACP) says that the reconfiguration of the alliance must include active participation in the manifesto consultation process and include electoral lists that consider the capacity to serve the people diligently.
SACP’s General Secretary Solly Mapaila elaborates, “Everyone on the list must be subject to accountability to the alliance and the people, over and above their individual alliance partner. What the representatives will say in legislative and executive organs of the state must also reflect the perspectives of the people at large and the alliance as a whole, as opposed to one alliance partner.”
Rand manipulation
Mapaila says the Central Committee also reiterates the Communist Party’s stance that individuals directly involved in manipulating the rand must be held personally liable.
“They must be charged with corruption. While fining the banks and other traders is important, the fines are low, mostly 10% of their annual turnover and must be increased. Moreover, alone the fines are not enough to deter the manipulation of our currency given the astronomical profits that the implicated banks control.”
Middle East
In the Middle East, the SACP says it reaffirms its support for the people of Palestine and calls for Israeli leaders to be held accountable.
“Israeli leaders must be held accountable for the genocide. The central committee also reaffirmed its support for the intensification of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign against Israel. The SACP will push this campaign forward.”
Mining companies
The Communist Party has called for harsher consequences for mining companies who neglect workers’ health and safety. Mapaila has slammed South African mines that he says put profits ahead of human life.
He says it’s disheartening for these companies to be underpaying workers while putting their lives at risk through poor safety standards.
Mapaila has condemned Impala Platinum mine after a lift carrying 86 miners, plunged to the bottom of the shaft early this week, leaving 12 miners dead.
“The SACP urges trade unions at Sibanye to unite against the impending retrenchments of 575 workers which the exorbitantly paid calls a cost-cutting measure under his stewardship. We, therefore, must hold capitalist mine bosses accountable for workers’ casualties and injuries as well. It is with heavy hearts and profound sorrow that we extend our deepest condolences to the families and comrades of the mine workers who lost their lives in the tragic incident at the Impala platinum mine. 12 workers have since died and 75 workers earned the physical and emotional scars of a disaster that could have been prevented.”
